1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wastebaskets or trash receptacles, and more particularly relates to a wastebasket with a pivoting lid which opens and closes by operation of a foot pedal.
2. Description of The Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 2,475,125 to Brownell discloses a foot pedal operated receptacle. One of the primary features of the receptacle disclosed in the Brownell patent is that the lid of the receptacle will open and close in response to actuation of the foot pedal.
This feature of the Brownell receptacle is provided by a straight slot 40 formed in a hinge element 39 joined to the lid. The slot is sloped from the vertical, and has first and second end enlargements 41, 42, one being higher than the other, depending on whether the lid is open or closed. A link member 16 interconnects the hinge element's slot with the foot pedal 15.
When the lid is closed and the foot pedal is stepped on, the link member engages the lower first enlargement and pivots the lid to an open position. When the foot pedal is released, the link member slides down to the second enlargement, which is now the lower of the two. When the foot pedal is stepped on again, the link member now engages the lower second enlargement and pivots the lid in an opposite direction back to the closed position.
The receptacle disclosed in the Brownell patent has a number of disadvantages inherent in its design. One problem relates to the mechanism for pivoting the lid. The slot formed in the lid hinge member is straight and is not particularly shaped to guide the link member between enlargements. The receptacle is configured so that the link member 16 alternately tilts towards whichever enlargement is lower, that is, toward and away from the receptacle's casing 10, to ensure that it properly engages the enlargement to pivot the lid. The link member must be pivotally connected to the foot pedal at a point which is directly below the lid's pivot axis, or at most between the two enlargements, so that it will tilt in the proper direction, as shown in FIG. 1 of the Brownell patent. Accordingly, the foot pedal must extend beyond the periphery of the casing 10 so that it may be joined to the link member at a point below the lid's pivot axis.
If the link member's connection to the foot pedal were situated closer to the receptacle's casing, the link member would not be properly directed towards the more inner enlargement 4-. As a result, when the foot pedal is depressed, the link member may not properly engage the enlargement, and may slip out of the enlargement into the slot.
Thus, with the design taught by the Brownell patent, the link member 16 and the portion of the pedal to which it is connected must protrude relatively far beyond the periphery of the receptacle's casing. Not only is it unsightly to see the linkage between the pedal and lid protruding beyond the confines of the casing, but also it makes the receptacle undesirable for use in areas of limited space. For example, the receptacle cannot be placed close to a wall, as space must be provided for the link member and rear portion of the foot pedal.
Also, because the linkage is exposed, it remains unprotected. The linkage, and in particular link member 16, may become bent or damaged and fail to operate properly if the Brownell receptacle fell on its side.
Furthermore, the foot pedal 15 protrudes outwardly from the front side of casing 10 diametrically opposite from the exposed link member. This exacerbates the problem of using the wastebasket in confined areas, as the protruding pedal and link mechanism add to the overall dimensions of the receptacle.
Yet another disadvantage of the Brownell receptacle and of many prior art pedal operated receptacles is that the pedal is of too limited size. The pedal on many such receptacles are narrow in width, and are about the size of the user's foot. The pedal covers only a small area of the receptacle's periphery, which makes it more difficult for the user to properly position his foot on the foot pedal, and requires the user to stand usually in a particular position close to the receptacle in order to operate the pedal.